Pressure reducing valve



DeC- 2, 1952 K. K. LA PolNT PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE Filed May 9, 1947 A TTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1F952 PRESSURE REDUCING VALVE Kenneth K. La Point, Albany, Calif., assignor to Charles M. Bailey Co., Inc., San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application May 9, 1947, Serial No. '747,034

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a booster -for an automatic pressure reducing valve.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a valve that is positive in its action; a valve that will not stick or jam in use; a valve that will maintain a constant -uniform reduced pressure regardless of variations in u1u-stream pressure or severe fluctuations in flow; a valve where a constant and positive reduced pressure may be maintained with practically no regulator maintenance.

The above and other objects will be apparent upon reading the specication and claims.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing, wherein the gure is a side elevation partially in section of the pressure reducing valve showing the connected pipe and the regulating valves employed therewith.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A indicates a high pressure inlet si-de of a valve; B the valve proper; C the valve housing; D a booster piston housing hereinafter to be more fully described; Ea relief valve of usual type; F a regulator valve of ordinary construction; and, G a low pressure outlet pipe.

In the drawing indicates a horizontal pipe member that has flanges 2 and 3 at its respective ends. Formed intermediate the ends of said pipe I is a cylindrically shaped valve housing C that extends upwardly from the pipe I at an :angle of approximately forty-five degrees. Attached to the housing C is a second housing 4 that has a chamber 5 formed therein. Said housings C and 4 carryra piston 6. Piston 6 carries the valve B which seats Von a valve seat l. The piston B is hollow and has a port 8 at the lower end thereof in communication with the low pressure pipe G and a second port 9 at the upper end thereof in communication with the chamber 5. Thus low pressure water can flow from the pipe G through the port 8, the piston 5 :and the port 9 to the ^chamber 5. Two diaphragms I and II are attached to the upper end of the piston 6. The diaphragm I0 is supported on an annular seat I2 formed in the upper end of the housing 4. A spacer I3 is placed between the two diaphragms I0 and 4|| to hold said diaphragms in place and apart. A plate I4 is placed on top of the diaphragm II and bolts I pass through said plate I4, the diaphragm II, the spacer I3 and the vdiaphragmy I0 to secure them to the upper end of the piston 6. The peripheral edge of the diaphragm l0 is held on its seat I2 by an annular spacer ring IB. The diaphragm II is held in place by a head |1 that has an annular seat I8 formed therein to engage and secure the diaphragm The housing 4 and the head Il are bolted together by bolts Ia which secure the two diaphragms II'I and II and the spacer rings I6 to the housing 4. The head I7 has formed therein a high pressure chamber I9. A pipe 20 runs from the high pressure inlet side A of the valve to the chamber I9 to normally maintain high pressure on the upper face o'f the diaphragm II. Intermediate the ends of said pipe are a strainer 2| and a needle valve 22. A T connection 23 connects pipe 20 to the regulator valve F. Said regulator valve F has a valve 24 that is connected to a diaphragm 25, -said valve 24 being normally held in closed position against a valve seat 26 by the 4pressure of the water in the downstream pipe opposing :a spring 21 that tends to open the valve 24, the tension on the spring 21 being -controlled 4by a set screw 28. Forming a connection between the regulator valve F and the low pressure pipe G is a pipe 29. Attached tothe head Il by arms 3i) is the booster piston housing D, said booster housing having formed therein a cylinder 3| which is closed by a head 32 held in place with bolts 33. The ycylinder 3| contains a piston 313 which is connected to a tubular piston rod 35. This tubular piston rod rests on the plate I4 which is attached to the diaphragms I0 and II so any pressure exerted on the piston 34 is transmitted to said diaphragms I0 vand The piston 34 has attached thereto a cup leather 35 and a cup spreader 31. These are lfastened to the piston 34 by a nut 38. The under-side of the piston 34 is open to the atmosphere. The tubular piston rod 35 has ports 39 formed in the lower end thereof which permits high pressure fluid to ilow from the chamber I9 through the ports 39 through the tubular piston rod 35 and into the cylinder 3| to increase the effective area of the high pressure diaphragm I.

A pipe 40 connects the low pressure pipe G with :a ychamber 4I formed between the two daphragms I0 and II. Leading from the chamber 5 is la pipe 42 which connects with the relief valve E, said relief valve E having a valve seat 43, a diaphragm actuated valve 44 and a diaphragm 45. The valve 43 is normally held in a closed position -by a spring 46, tension on said spring 46 being regulated by a set screw 4l. Whenever the Water pressure in the pipe G goes above the pressure set for the relief valve E, said valve 44 opens and water flows therethrough until the pressure in low pressure pipe G is reduced below the setting of the relief valve E. Each ofthe chambers 5, I9 and 4I have separate manually operated relief cocks 48.

In operation suppose, for example, that the reducing valve is used on a water line where the pressure of water in the high pressure inlet side of the valve is one hundred pounds and it is the desire of the user to maintain a pressure of fifty pounds on the low pressure outlet. The pressure on the valve B will accordingly be one hundred pounds. The water pressure in the pipe 2G will also be one hundred pounds, and as water under this pressure flows through the needle valve 22 to chamber Iii, water under this pressure flows through the ports 39, the tubular piston rod 35 and therefore exerts a pressure of one hundred pounds on the piston 34 as well as the diaphragm II. The pressure exerted on diaphragm Il and the piston 34 is sufficient to force the valve B downwardly on its seat l', keeping the valve B closed. This is true because the pressure area of the piston 3e acts as a booster to the pressure area exerted by the area of the diaphragm Il. This pressure of one hundred pounds is exerted over a greater area than the counter pressure area, namely that exerted on the valve B, which is a hundred pounds, and that on the diaphragm le, which is fty pounds.

When the water pressure in the low pressure pipe G falls below fifty pounds, or whatever pressure is set on the valve 2d by the spring 2l, then the water pressure on the under side of the diaphragm 25 of the valve 2li is not sufficient to overcome the force of the spring 2l in said regulator valve and said spring 2l forces the valve 24 downwardly and away from its seat 265 permitting water under pressure in 'the pipe 2%, chamber i9 and cylinder 3i to flow through said regulator valve and the pipe 29 into the low pressure pipe G. This is true because the needle valve 22 restricts the flow of water therethrough water is rapidly drained through pipe 2i? from the chamber i9 and cylinder SI. This reduces 'the pressure on the piston and the diaphragm li. lThis reduction of pressure on the piston 3ft and the diaphragm Il results in the pressure on the valve B becoming greater than that exerted on said diaphragm II and piston 34, valve B is forced open permitting the high pressure water in the pipe A to flow directly into the low pressure pipe G until a pressure is built up in said loaf.7 pressure pipe G sufficient to close the valve 2d in the regulator F. Then high pressure water fiowing through the pipe 2Q, the needle valve 22, into the chamber I9 through the ports B, the hollow piston rod 3,5, into the cylinder 3i, will build up a sufhcient high pressure on the piston 34 and the diaphragm H to overcome the force of the water pressure exerted against valve This is due to the greater pressure area of. said piston 34 and diaphragm I i, and causes said valve B to close against the seat l. It has been found that the pressure area or surface area upon which high pressure is exerted is critical in causing the valve B to move in one direction or the other. Thus employment of the booster piston Sil to increase the pressure exerted on the diaphragm I i makes this device more positive in its action.

The pressure of the water in chamber d! is always that that is found in the low'pressure pipe G. This, in operation, smoothes the operation of the diaphragms and stops chattering and also stops the diaphragm il from being distorted by the high pressure exerted thereon in chamber IS.

it must also be remembered that the chamber has connected thereto a pipe 42 and relief valve 4 E. Therefore, there is at all times a definite control of the pressure of the water in the outlet pipe G for if water pressure in pipe G exceeds that set in relief valve E, water will now from pipe G through ports 8 and 9 of piston B, chamber 5, pipe 42 and through said relief valve E until the pressure in pipe G is suciently reduced to permit valve E to close.

An important feature of the present invention is the booster piston 34; it should be noted that one side is exposed to a high pressure, for example one hundred pounds, while the other side, only to atmospheric pressure, hence the effective area of the booster piston 34 is much greater than any proportional area of the diaphragm I I because said diaphragm II is at all times subject to a counter pressure of, for example, fifty pounds, or whatever pressure is in the pipe G.

It has been found that in actual practice great dimculty has been encountered in getting an crdinary pressure reducing valve to function properly when fluid under pressure is first delivered to the line as there is a tendency at that time to build up equal pressure on both the inlet and discharge sides. When this occurs and the pressures are equalized, the valve has a tendency to remain in open position and it is difficult, if not impossible, to get the valve closed. By the use of the booster piston herein described, this difiiculty is overcome. The additional pressure area afforded by the piston 3d is sufficient to overcome the equalized pressure on both sides of the diaphragme I@ and II and thus forces the valve B to seat. By using a device of the character described, this serious problem arising at the time of initial use is satisfactorily overcome. If all pressures are balanced in all parts of the main regulator valve, then the pressure exerted on the booster piston 34 will be suicient to positively force Valve B to close. This is true because the pressure area of the booster piston 3!! is added to the pressure area of diaphragm II causing an unbalancing of the pressure in a sufficient amount to close the valve B.

From the above description it will be seen that this device is simple in construction and positive in action.

While I have more or less specifically described and illustrated the preferred construction cf the device, it should be understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience or judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A valve of the character described comprising a housing having an inlet and discharge connection, a valve seat intermediate said connections, a diaphragm actuated valve normally engaging said valve seat, means for maintaining inlet high pressure on one side of said diaphragm to normally maintain the valve closed, means for maintaining a lower discharge pressure on the other side of the diaphragm, means for automatically reducing the pressure on the high pressure side of the diaphragm when pressure on the discharge side of the Valve drops below a predetermined pressure, a cylinder disposed adjacent the high pressure side of the diaphragm, a piston mounted in said cylinder, a rod connecting said piston with the high pressure side of said diaphragm, and means for supplying fluid from an inlet side of the housing to actuate the piston, said piston being open to the atmosphere on one side thereof.

2. A valve of the character described comprising a housing having an inlet and discharge connection, a valve seat intermediate said connections, a diaphragm actuated valve normally engaging said valve seat, means for maintaining inlet high pressure on one side of the diaphragm to normally maintain the valve closed, means for maintaining a lower discharge pressure on the other side of the diaphragm, a cylinder disposed adjacent the high pressure side of the diaphragm, a piston mounted in said cylinder, a rod connecting said piston with the high pressure side of said diaphragm, means for supplying fluid from the inlet side of the housing to actuate the piston, said piston being open to the atmosphere on one side thereof, and means for automatically reducing the pressure on the high pressure side of the diaphragm and the pressure side of the piston when pressure on the discharge side of the valve drops below a predetermined pressure.

3. In a valve structure of the character described comprising a valve chamber, a valve disposed therein, pressure responsive means operable to actuate said valve, means communicating pressure from the high pressure side of said valve to said pressure responsive means to move said valve in one direction, and means communicating pressure from the low pressure side of on one side thereof, means operatively connecting said piston and said valve to permit the piston to aid in closing the valve, and means communicating the pressure on the high pressure side of said Valve with said piston.

4. In a valve structure of the character described comprising a valve chamber, a valve disposed therein, a diaphragm operable to actuate said valve, means communicating pressure from the high pressure side of said Valve to one side of said diaphragm to close said valve, and means communicating pressure from the low pressure side of said valve to the opposite side of said diaphragm, the improvement which comprises a booster piston, a chamber within which said piston is reciprocable, said piston being open to the atmosphere on one side thereof, means operatively connecting said piston with said diaphragm such that iuid pressure on said piston tends to close said valve, and means communicating the pressure on the high-pressure side of said valve with said piston.

KENNETH K. LA POINT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 285,883 Fisher Oct. 2, 1883 825,866 Rogers July 10, 1906 2,098,696 Sparrow Nov. 9, 1937 2,116,046 Schmitz May 3, 1938 

